Something Else
by kclandestineheart
Summary: Ryder and Reyes romance expanded. Told from both characters points of view. Warning! Spoilers within. When Ryder finds out who Reyes really is, will she stay or is the betrayal too much for their relationship to overcome?
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Mass Effect fiction. Please let me know what you think! I love the Ryder/Vidal romance because of their witty banter and realistic flirting. I just wish that the game had more of a story line for their romance! And sex in a cave? Are we for real? I will be sticking to the story for some parts and deviating at others to make it more realistic.

Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks!

 ** _Ryder_**

 _I should have known_ Lila Ryder thought to herself when she finally found Reyes. He was crouched in Sloane's storage room rummaging through crates, clearly looking for something. "'Take the night off. Come out for a drink.' Should've known you were up to something." She said, cocking her hip.

Reyes shot up, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. "Ryder! It's not what it looks like."

"So you didn't use me as a distraction to go through Sloane's stuff?" She glared, but only slightly. _God, why did I let myself think that he actually liked me?_

Reyes relaxed and stated "Okay, yes. But it's for both our benefit! I promise." _Another promise. No surprise there._

"You've been making a lot of promises-". Ryder was cut off by Reyes leaning to look around her. She could hear it, too. Someone was coming.

"Shit! Someone's coming! We need a distraction!" Reyes looked frantic. _Fuck, what could we do?_ Without thinking Ryder grabbed Reyes and kissed him. He tensed at first before sinking into the kiss. Ryder suddenly forgot why they were kissing and pulled Reyes closer. Ryder parted her lips just enough to let her tongue slip out and taste his lips. Reyes responded with a soft moan before grabbing her waist and responding by tangling his tongue with hers.

"Oh," a guard came around the corner, then cleared her throat. "Sorry," she said and retreated. Ryder almost groaned as Reyes pulled back to check if the guard was still there. When his eyes met Ryder's, she felt the intensity of the kiss they'd just shared.

"I think we're in the clear." He spoke, his voice a little rougher than before.

"Maybe another kiss? Just to be sure." Ryder couldn't help herself. There was something about this man that she found irresistible.

Reyes responded with a low chuckle. "Now you're just teasing me." He moved away and Ryder responded with a chuckle of her own. Reyes then climbed up a stack of crates and began digging around. Ryder couldn't help but let her eyes wander over his lean frame and rest on his ass, which was prominently displayed in front of her. "Finally! Here it is." Reyes said before turning to show Ryder a bottle of whiskey. He jumped down with a grunt. Ryder was annoyed.

"That's what this was all about? Whiskey?" Ryder put her hands on her hips and waited for Reyes to give her a logical explanation.

"The only bottle of Mount Milgrom in Andromeda. Triple-distilled and 645 years old. This isn't whiskey," Reyes cradled the bottle as if it were a baby "it's treasure."

Ryder smirked. "I hope you're planning on sharing."

Reyes chuckled. "We'll see... let's get out of here," he said as he grabbed Ryder's hand and ran with her out of the storage room. They ran from Outcast headquarters and Reyes led Ryder to a part of Kadara Port that she hadn't seen before. The back alleyway behind the stores and Kralla's song were honestly a little dirtier than what she had seen in the rest of the port. Sketchy looking people were milling about along the alley. No one bothered to look up at Reyes and Ryder as they passed through. Eventually they came to a turn in the alley. The path was deserted and led to a ladder at the end.

"You're not planning on murdering me in a back alley, are you?" Ryder teased.

Reyes chuckled, stopped and gazed down at her, nearly chest to chest. "No, but I can think of other things we could do in an empty alley," he spoke in deeper voice, clearly meant to tease Ryder.

"Now who's the tease?" She asked and Reyes simply laughed before turning back towards the end of the alley.

"Come on, I want to show you my favorite part of Kadara." He tugged gently on her hand as he led her to the ladder. "Ladies first," he said in his usual suave tone, smirking and gesturing to the ladder. Ryder smirked at him, folding her arms across her chest. "What? I'll be the perfect gentleman."

"Sure..." she replied, teasing him before beginning to climb. The ladder led to an upper deck overlooking the market area and just beyond that was the entrance to Outcast headquarters. Beyond that, the Kadara mountains were visible. _For a dirty planet, this view is actually breathtaking._ Ryder felt Reyes' hand on the small of her back before he spoke in her ear.

"What do you think?" He spoke softly, his breath tickling her ear and sending goosebumps down her arms. Ryder turned to meet his eyes and their noses nearly grazed each others.

"I've seen better," she teased and he laughed softly before walking away. Ryder shivered from the loss of heat from his previous proximity before following him to the edge of the upper deck. Reyes climbed onto a crate at the edge of the deck and sat with his legs dangling over the edge, sitting near the corner. Ryder positioned herself on the other side of the corner, her back slightly towards him, but facing the mountain line. A moment later, the opened whiskey bottle was presented to her.

"Ladies first," he gave her closed mouth smile when Ryder looked over. She took the bottle with a nod and took a swig. The sweet, yet sour taste of the whiskey burned her chest as it went down, but it was a welcomed feeling. It had been a long time since Ryder had drank hard liquor, especially a long time since she drank straight from the bottle. She handed it back to Reyes and he took his swig, his eyes never leaving hers. After a brief pause, Reyes handed the bottle back to Ryder and looked out over Kadara Port. Ryder took the bottle back and they sat in silence for a minute, passing the bottle back and forth, just enjoying each other's company.

"Is Andromeda _everything_ you hoped it would be?" Reyes asked, breaking the silence.

Ryder sighed before responding. "Every day's an adventure, even my nights off are interesting." Ryder turned slightly "what about you?" Ryder passed the bottle to Reyes. "Why did you come here, Reyes?"

Reyes paused and took a swig before responding. "To be someone." His voice was low and sounded like it was filled with regret. The emotion in his statement made Ryder's heart ache for him and she slid herself next to Reyes.

"You're someone to me," she spoke honestly. Ryder's heart pounded through her chest, fearing possible rejection. Reyes' eyes met Ryder's, the heat in them palpable. He tenderly touched her cheek.

"I'm starting to think that kiss was more than just a distraction," he spoke, lowering his voice slightly before pulling Ryder closer and kissing her passionately. Ryder leaned into Reyes, parting her lips to let his tongue enter. Ryder moaned softly as Reyes deepened the kiss, his hand sinking into her hair, gently tugging her face closer to his.

The sound of a drunk Kadaran complaining about the smell below caused both of them to laugh into the kiss before pulling back slightly. Ryder looked up at Reyes and he gave her one last soft, lippy kiss before pulling back and taking another sip of whiskey. Reyes' omni-tool pinged and he handed the whiskey to Ryder before checking it, turning just so that Ryder couldn't see the message. Ryder watched Reyes' face as he looked concerned for a moment before closing the message and turning to her.

"Let's go somewhere quieter," he stated before climbing down from the crate. He helped Ryder down and explained "I've got some confiscated beer back at my place."

" _Confiscated?"_ Ryder teased with an arched eyebrow. Reyes just winked at her and took her hand again leading her back to the ladder.


	2. Chapter 2

Warning! SPOILERS AHEAD! Do Not read if you have not completed all of the Kadara missions.

Okay, you've been warned! Please review and let me know what you think of my fic so far. Thanks!

 _ **Reyes**_

Reyes knew where this was leading and he needed to stop it. Ryder was pressed into the mattress below him, their legs tangled together. He wanted her, and bad. It had been awhile since Reyes had wanted a woman as much as he wanted Ryder. The last woman he was with, Zia, never made him feel so intensely. _I can't make love to Ryder. Not without her knowing I'm the Charlatan._ Reyes knew he was falling in love with her, and her rejection would crush him if he continued this path tonight. The alcohol they had consumed was not helping matters.

"Ryder," Reyes almost groaned, his voice rough with desire.

"Hmmm?" Ryder responded softly, kissing him softly before tenderly biting his lower lip. Reyes felt it in his groin and his cock ached. _This is literally the hardest thing I've ever done._ Reyes thought to himself.

"We have to stop," he said, wincing.

"Why?" Ryder whispered in his ear before nibbling his earlobe. Reyes closed his eyes and shivered, literally on the verge of ripping off their clothes and taking her.

"There are some things I need to take care of before we go further, and I don't want to rush things with us." He didn't want to lie, but he was terrified of telling her the truth. Reyes was convinced that Ryder would want nothing to do with him. She'd nearly refused to work with him to solve the Roekar murders because she knew he was a smuggler. A criminal. How would she feel knowing he was the Charlatan? He didn't want to find out.

"Gotta break up with your other side chick?" Ryder teased and he laughed softly. He loved the fact that they could give each other a hard time. It was what first drew him to her. Her sarcastic comments and frequent innuendos kept him on his toes.

"Something like that," he joked and she rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure?" She asked, rolling her hips and grinding herself against his groin. Reyes closed his eyes and groaned, becoming hard as steel.

"You are evil," he stated when he opened his eyes, desire swirling within his irises.

"I try," she smirked and he rolled off of her, laying on his back. His erection ached against the tightness of his pants. He adjusted his pants and let out a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure. He scrubbed his hands over his face before looking at Ryder laying beside him. She was biting her bottom lip, a concerned look on her face.

"What is it?" He asked her softly.

"Nothing," she said softly and looked up at the ceiling. They laid there in silence for a minute before Ryder got up.

"Where are you going?" Reyes sat up, watching Ryder sit to put her boots on.

"Back to the Tempest," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Ryder," he touched her arm gently. "You've been drinking and it's late. Kadara isn't so safe this time of night." He was concerned for her safety because many Kadarans hated her. She was Nexus, and the exiles on Kadara didn't care that she wasn't there for the uprising. She represented everything that they hate.

"I can handle it," she claimed and attempted to get up. Reyes grabbed her hand and she turned to look at him.

"Stay the night," he pleaded. "You go back to the Tempest and I won't see you for a few weeks, if not months." Ryder seemed hesitant to answer. "I'll be a perfect gentleman," he teased.

Ryder leaned over and whispered in Reyes ear, "I'd rather you weren't." Reyes heard Ryder giggle softly following the quiet groan he let out. She was well aware of the effect she had on him and he knew it. Sleeping in a bed with her would be near torture, but he was sure it would be worth every second.

Reyes sat up on the bed, wearing some grey cotton shorts. He scrolled through the messages from his associates on his omni-tool while he waited for Ryder to change. He had given her a t-shirt and some shorts before she had disappeared into his bathroom. He sent out some orders quickly as he heard Ryder open the door. Closing his omni-tool, he glanced up at Ryder and his jaw nearly dropped. Ryder's dark blonde hair was no longer in her signature ponytail. Her hair had a slight waviness to it that he'd never noticed before. Trailing his eyes down her body, he noted the lack of a bra. A faint outline of her nipples was visible. Continuing his assessment, Reyes noted that she had forgone the shorts he had provided and instead the t-shirt barely covered her ass. When his eyes met hers, he noted that she was assessing him in the same way.

"You're making this no-sex thing hard," Ryder commented, biting her lower lip before lifting her eyes from his bare chest and meeting his eyes. In that moment, Reyes began to question his sanity.

"I'm not the only one," he replied with a soft chuckle before Ryder climbed onto the bed and laid down. Reyes slid down in the bed and pulled Ryder close, spooning her from behind. The scent of vanilla and rose petals filled his nose and he inhaled deeply, taking as much of her in as he could. Ryder wiggled her hips, scooting back into his embrace.

"Good night Reyes," Ryder said softly, turning her head to meet his eyes. Reyes responded by pressing his lips to hers, giving her a short and passionate kiss. Her lips were soft and warm, and she gently sucked his bottom lip before pulling away.

"Good night, Ryder," Reyes said before kissing her temple and laying his head down.

He held her in his arms all night. When he woke in the morning, she had turned and was curled into his chest, her face nuzzled at the base of his neck. Reyes could have laid there with her all morning if it hadn't been for the need to pee. Reluctantly, Reyes decided to stay up and check his messages. Keema had sent him a message requesting to meet with him regarding Sloane. He sent a quick reply stating that he would once the Tempest had let Kadara Port. Keema was well aware of Reyes' feelings for Ryder, and she had given him a hard time on more than one occasion about telling her the truth.

Reyes made himself a cup of coffee and returned to the bedroom to check on Ryder. She laid curled up to a pillow in his absence. He let his eyes wander over her toned frame. The t-shirt was pulled tight, accentuating the curve of her large breasts. The bottom of the t-shirt had ridden up, exposing her bottom. The underwear she wore barely covered her ass, and Reyes let his eyes wander over the exposed curves. Rather than giving in to his desire to run his hand up Ryder's legs and cup her ass, he took a sip of his coffee, gripping the cup tightly. She was absolutely beautiful, and in this moment he knew that he was definitely in love. He had slept better that night than he could ever remember, and she had fit perfectly in his arms.

Ryder stirred before stretching and looking up at Reyes with a sleepy grin. "Morning," she spoke softly, sleep tainting her voice.

"Good morning," Reyes replied softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and cupping her cheek. Ryder leaned into his hand and his heart swelled as she kissed his palm. Reyes leaned down and planted a soft kiss, letting his lips linger on hers for a moment. "Would you like coffee?"

"I'd love some," she answered, smiling back at him before leaning up slightly to kiss him again. Ryder sighed contentedly into the kiss and Reyes parted his lips, his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth. Ryder obliged and opened her mouth, her tongue briefly massaging his before pulling away. "Unfortunately I'll need to drink my coffee and get back."

"One cup of black coffee coming right up." Reyes smiled before getting up and heading for the kitchen to make another cup.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Ryder_**

Ryder bit her lip gently as she re-read the email from Reyes. _I can't stop thinking about you._ She smiled before closing the message. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Reyes was thinking about her. Ryder couldn't help but feel hopeful knowing that he was feeling the same was she was. She hadn't stopped thinking about him over the last two weeks since she'd been on Kadara. Upon returning to the Tempest, Liam had filled her in on the mistake he'd made. He'd given sensitive information to an Angaran, who was then taken captive by pirates. Liam was lucky that Ryder liked him, because he fucked up big time with that mission and they nearly died.

Ryder felt someone walk up behind her in the cargo bay.

"You're reading that message again, aren't you?" Liam asked, a hint of jealously in his voice.

"Why, Liam?" Ryder turned and stared at the soldier, curious to see if he had something new to say. He'd already made her well aware that he didn't approve of Reyes when she had returned from her sleepover.

"Ryder, you know he is bad news. He's a smuggler. A criminal. You're better than that... you deserve better than that." Liam looked away and began to tinker with a random piece of equipment.

"What, like you?" Ryder asked bluntly. There had been a few weeks there where it felt like something was going to happen between them. They had slept together that one time, but Ryder just didn't feel the emotional attachment with Liam that she felt with Reyes.

Liam shot a glare at Ryder. "Anyone would be better than him." Ryder shook her head and heard Liam sigh. "Look, Ryder. What we are doing is so important and we can't afford for you to get hurt, emotionally or physically. Look, just... be careful." Ryder looked over to Liam and could see that he meant what he said. He was right. The fate of everyone in the initiative rested on her shoulders, her team's shoulders. If something happened to her, things would go downhill fast, especially with Scott still in a coma.

"Liam, I appreciate your concern. This thing with Reyes won't affect what we need to accomplish. I promise," Ryder spoke, using Reyes favorite phrase. She smiled inwardly at herself once she realized what shed done. Liam just nodded before walking off towards his room, letting the door shut behind him. Ryder looked around the cargo bay and caught Vetra's motherly stare.

"He's right, you know," she informed in her two-toned voice. "We can't have anything comprise your state of mind."

"A girl has needs," Ryder joked.

"From what I remember hearing, sounded like Liam was fully capable of caring for those needs," Vetra teased and Ryder blushed, her jaw gaping open.

"Vetra!" Ryder admonished and Vetra responded with a reverberating laugh. "You're such a bitch," Ryder replied with a smile before walking off towards her cabin.

 _ **Reyes**_

Ryder had _died_. Reyes had contacts who were still at the Nexus and he'd heard the story. Ryder had taken the fight to the Archon's ship and she was clinically dead for nearly 30 seconds. He had no idea that AI of hers could kill her. The knowledge that she could have been lost made him nauseous. Over the past month, he and Ryder had been messaging each other a couple times a week, mainly when Ryder was between missions. This mission she had glossed over and failed to mention her temporary death.

The door to Reyes' room in Tartarus opened and one of his agents entered, letting the door close behind him before speaking.

"It's done," he stated, waiting for the Charlatan to answer him.

"Good," Reyes replied, scrubbing his hand over his jaw. "Set up the meeting," he instructed and the agent nodded before leaving. Reyes took a deep breath and let it out as he thought about his next move.

The next day, Reyes waited in the dark of the cave, the meeting time with Sloane quickly approaching. Suddenly, Reyes heard footsteps, lots of them. He glanced around the rock hiding his position in the dark and nearly chickened out of this whole event. Ryder was with Sloane, and she'd brought her squadmates, the Angaran and the former cop. _I'll never get a chance like this again to settle this._ Reyes took a deep breath and spoke.

"You look like you're waiting for someone." He stepped out of the shadows and into the light. His eyes immediately met Ryder's and he saw her stiffen with surprise. Clearly Sloane had brought Ryder for protection.

"Reyes?" she asked in surprise.

"I'm here for the Charlatan, not some third rate smuggler," Sloane dismissed him, a behavior of hers that had helped him immensely in the past.

"They're one in the same," Ryder said, coming to the realization herself. Reyes felt a pang of guilt for the fact that Ryder walked into this blindsided.

"Surprise," he said, attempting to mask the guilt he felt.

"This whole time," Ryder said, her anger coloring her tone. "You've been lying to me."

"Not about everything. You know who I really am," Reyes explained, trying to lessen the anger he could tell was beginning to fester in Ryder's chest. Sloane's voice interrupted their conversation.

"You said you wanted to "settle things". How?" Sloane glared at him. Reyes jumped down from the rocks and turned his eyes towards Sloane, forcing himself to put the spat with Ryder temporarily on the back-burner.

"A duel. You and me. Right now. Winner takes Kadara Port." He saw Ryder move forward out of the corner of his eye.

"You want to avoid war by shooting each other?" Reyes felt a pull in his gut, hopeful that Ryder's concerned tone was related to his safety, that she cared.

Reyes turned to Ryder. "Two people shooting each other is better than a lot of people shooting each other," he responded, then turned his attention back to Sloane, waiting for a response.

"I'll take those terms," she answered, her confidence evident in her tone. Within seconds, they began to walk in a slow circle, their hands poised over the butt of their pistols. Reyes moved his body in front of Ryder's, blocking the snipers view of her to ensure her safety as the shot rang out, hitting Sloane in the chest. Sloane dropped onto her knees, groaning in pain. Ryder made her way to Reyes' side.

"Bang" he said while pretending to shoot her with his fingers. Sloane slumped to the ground, her eyes closing as she expired. "Get her out of here. Prepare the crew. Kadara Port is ours tonight," Reyes ordered his men in the shadows as he walked towards the cave's entrance, Ryder following close behind. He knew she would want some answers.

"Guess you got everything you wanted," she spit out, clearly disgusted with him. Reyes winced from the acid in her tone before responding.

"What I want is peace. Sloane would've brought war to Heleus. We don't have the population to survive that," he answered, avoiding looking at Ryder.

"Why didn't you trust me?" Ryder demanded, the hurt on full display in her tone. Reyes stopped in his tracks and turned to face Ryder. She was hurt and he could see it. There was no use in lying, he needed to tell her the truth.

"I... liked the way you looked at me. I was afraid that would change," he said softly, afraid to move or even blink. With every passing second, Reyes could heart his heart beating. He knew he was in love with Ryder and if she rejected him, he knew he would crumble. Ryder tore her eyes from his, sighing heavily and looking to the ground. Reyes began to feel nauseous, the sting of rejection beginning.

"It has changed," she whispered softly, not meeting his eyes. "I feel like I don't know you."

"But you do," Reyes stated adamantly, stepping closer to Ryder, his hands resting gently on the side of her arms. Slowly, she looked up into his golden eyes. "Everything that happened between us, that was me. What happened in there," he nodded towards the cave, "that was the only thing I kept from you. Look, you were barely willing to work with me knowing I was a smuggler, and when I began to fall for you, I feared you wouldn't want anything to do with me if I had told you the truth." He tried to reason.

"If I hadn't come with Sloane today, would you have ever told me?" Ryder deserved an honest answer. Reyes knew it. He thought about her question for a moment before answering truthfully.

"I don't know. I wanted to tell you. This secret is what I was referring to when I said I needed to take care of something before we slept together." Reyes waited for Ryder's response for what seemed like hours.

"I need time to think," she said softly, averting her gaze from his. _Time. It's not a no, but definitely not a yes._ Reyes nodded.

"I'll give you whatever you want," he offered with complete sincerity. Whatever it took to make her his, he was willing to do. After a moment, Ryder pulled herself from Reyes' grasp and headed back into the cave where her squadmates were. As he headed back in, the former cop put his arm around Ryder's shoulders and glared at him, clearly attempting to assert dominance over Reyes. In response, Reyes just looked away and walked towards one of his agents to continue with the clean-up process.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Ryder**_

"I don't want to hear it, Kosta." Ryder scolded Liam as they climbed out of the nomad in the Tempest cargo bay. Liam just held his hands up in surrender before turning towards the lockers to remove his armor. Jaal walked up the Ryder and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"If you want to talk, I am here," he told her before walking off towards the crew quarters. Ryder sighed and walked to her locker, roughly taking off her armor and damn-near throwing it inside. Liam was staring at her wide-eyed. Ryder held up her finger, clad only in her under armor.

"Not a fucking word," she reminded him and stormed off towards her personal quarters. She didn't want to hear it from any of her crew. Most of them had warned her about Reyes, claiming to have a 'feeling' or suspect something. She had ignored all their warnings and now it seemed it was biting her in the ass, or well, the heart.

Once Ryder heard the soft hiss of the door close behind her in her quarters, she sank to her knees on the floor, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't believe that she'd let this happen. For the first time since her teenage years, she let a man get close enough for her to fall for him. _I really can pick 'em, huh?_ Ryder wiped the tears from her eyes before they could fall and stood up, pulling off her under armor. She quickly changed into pants and her favorite hoodie before climbing under the covers. She lay still, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours.

 _'Ryder, you have new email'_ SAM relayed on her private channel. Ryder knew who it would be before she opened her email. Reyes.

' _Ryder,_

 _I wanted you to know that I never meant to hurt you. I promise. Come see me at Tartarus before you leave Kadara. Please._

 _-Reyes'_

Ryder sighed, contemplating going. There was so much going on in Andromeda; she had to put her personal life aside. She bit her lip gently before opening the comm with Kallo. "Set a course for Elaaden."

"Right away, Ryder," Kallo cheerfully responded before Ryder heard to comm click off. She could feel the Tempest coming alive underneath her. Rolling over, Ryder closed her eyes, attempting to get some reprieve from her emotional torment before she had to take on conflicts with the Krogan.

* * *

 _ **Reyes**_

Reyes threw back his glass, downing it in 2 large gulps. Ryder had left Kadara without so much as a reply to the email. He'd fucked up, and he knew it. When his agent informed him of the Tempest's departure, he nearly threw his drink at the wall. Part of him wanted to hop on a shuttle and look for the Tempest. It would be a waste, though. There is no way he'd know where to look for her, she had missions to complete on all habitable planets.

Reyes grabbed the bottle of whiskey that he'd taken from Sloane's storage room when they'd taken over Outcast headquarters. It was the same brand that he and Ryder had shared the night they first kissed. He took a swig and leaned back on the couch, closing his eyes and replayed the events of that night in his head. Everything had been perfect. Reyes inhaled, remembering the scent of vanilla and rose buds that Ryder had worn. She had fit so perfectly in his arms. The image of her laying in his bed came to mind. Her hugging his pillow, her t-shirt riding up. She had looked beautiful. That was the moment that Reyes knew he'd never be the same, that he loved Ryder.

 _I have to get her back._

* * *

 _ **Ryder**_

She had been avoiding the return to Kadara Port. 100% viability had been reached on all other habitable planets, with outposts included. Kadara had been put on the back burner so that Ryder to avoid Reyes. She knew she couldn't avoid him forever, but it doesn't mean she wouldn't try.

Two months had passed since everything had gone down. In that time, Reyes had sent multiple messages to Ryder attempting to explain his reasons for lying. He had stated he feared that he'd lose her, and that had happened. The one thing that killed Ryder was that she still loved him. Even with all the hurt he had caused, and the trust issues, she still wanted him.

"ETA to Kadara at 10 minutes," Kallo announced over the comms.

"Thank you," Ryder replied before going to the mirror to look at herself. Dark circles had made their home under her eyes. The cut on the side of her forehead was finally beginning to heal after retrieving that seed vault from the exiles. Her shields had gone down temporarily and a bullet grazed right by her head when she hadn't found cover fast enough. Bled like a bitch until Lexi was able to patch it up.

Upon making it to the bridge, Ryder found Liam waiting, watching the Tempest descend into Kadara Port.

"Do you want me to come along, Pathfinder?" Liam asked. Ryder shook her head. Liam had been a great friend since they left Kadara. She had feared that he would say 'I told you so', but he hadn't. He had let her vent and never judged her. It was exactly what she had needed.

When the cargo bay doors opened to the port, the first thing Ryder noticed was that the smell had subsided immensely. The high levels of sulfur previously had made the place smell of rotten eggs and vomit. Now only a faint hint of rotten eggs lingered. _I'll never get used to this smell._

Ryder made her way to the former Outcast headquarters. She needed to get an outpost put on Kadara. In one of the emails, Reyes had stated that an outpost could be placed on Kadara. Ryder was hoping that offer still stood. The Collective guards were positioned at the door and they immediately allowed her entrance to the headquarters. When the door to the 'throne room' opened, she was pleasantly surprised to find Keema Dorghun sitting in Sloane's throne. She smiled at the Angaran, continuing her approach.

"Ryder, it's so good to finally see you," Keema said pleasantly. "What brings you here?"

"I wanted to discuss an alliance between the Collective and the Initiative. I'd like to put an outpost here on Kadara." Ryder hoped that she could make this transaction happen without Reyes.

"You'll have to take that up with the Charlatan yourself."

"So I assume you know who the Charlatan really is?" Ryder questioned, curious to see how much Keeema knew.

"Yes, I am one of few," she said, shifting in her chair. "I told him to tell you the truth, but he said he was afraid you'd write him off. It was cute, really," Keema recounted. Ryder just frowned.

"Where can I find him?"

"Same place as always," Keema informed her. _Tartarus._ _Great, a trip to the slums._

"I better get going," Ryder said and began to retreat before she heard Keema speak.

"Ryder, just listen to what he has to say. He's been a mess since you left," Keema informed her. Ryder glanced back at Keema and sighed before nodding and heading toward the slums. She knew she'd have to face Reyes eventually, she might as well get it out of the way now.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Reyes**_

The Tempest had landed over 2 hours ago and no sign of Ryder yet. When he'd heard the news, he'd made sure to be waiting at Tartarus just in case she came. He'd even ordered his guards to stall the Tempest and alert him if Ryder were to leave without seeing him. Keema had even been willing to force Ryder to speak with Reyes for any dealings, such as the outpost. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist setting it up. She was the Pathfinder after all, and a good one. She had done the impossible; she made Heleus habitable for both the Initiative and the Angara.

Reyes gently swirled the cola-colored whiskey in his glass, staring into it while trying to figure out what he'd say to her. Should he flirt like always, be loving, sarcastic? He felt like this would be his only chance to win her back. Maybe have some sort of gift for her? She wasn't a flowers kind of girl, but maybe a mod for her Avenger? Shiny new armor? Discounts at the stores? God only knew what she would willingly take or find offensive.

Reyes' omni-tool pinged and he opened the message.

' _Reyes,_

 _R_ _yder and squad headed for the slums._

 _-Keema'_

Reyes glanced up at the door, anxiety flooding his system. He tossed back the rest of his whiskey and ran a hand through his hair. She was coming to see him, he knew it. If her squad was with her, he knew she'd try to keep it professional. He needed to speak to Ryder alone, tell her how he really felt. Reyes was lost in his thoughts and almost didn't hear the door to his room in Tartarus open. He looked up, trying to keep his deer in headlights look off his face. Ryder was dressed in her armor, helmet off and her hair down and wavy. She never wore her hair down and it was honestly beautiful. She had dark circles under her eyes, clearly showing that she hadn't slept, just like Reyes. Her eyes bore into his and she paused briefly when their eyes met before she made her way to stand in front of him. Liam, and the Angara were just behind her, both looking less than pleased with his presence.

"I was hoping you'd stop by," Reyes said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thought you'd be in the throne room. Tartarus is a little shabby for Kadara's new leader, don't you think?" Ryder asked, still standing.

"Come on, Ryder. You know I prefer to rule from the shadows."

"You are a shady bastard." She replied, a slight harshness to her tone.

"But a handsome one, right?" Reyes joked with a smirk, which instantly fell when he saw that Ryder was less than amused. Liam rolled his eyes and shifted his weight, crossing his arms over his chest. Clearly his usual banter with Ryder was a poor choice. "Keema Dohrgun has agreed to be my front. And since Sloane is gone, there's room for your outpost." Reyes watched Ryder's face, trying to read how she was feeling. "Ryder, I want this outpost as much as you do. It will have my full protection. That's a promise."

"Another promise. Do you ever keep promises, or do you use them like IOU's?" Ryder's tone was much harsher than it had been thus far.

"Ryder, can we speak in private?" Reyes pleaded.

"Not a chance," Liam spoke before she could.

"Liam," she scolded, turning her head just enough to see Liam and Jaal begin to retreat in her periphery. Once the door shut behind them, Ryder turned to face Reyes.

"Why don't you sit," Reyes offered, gently patting the spot next to him. Ryder ignored the pat and sat on the other side of the booth seat. Reyes sighed before leaning up to rest his elbows on his knees. "I haven't stopped thinking about you since the cave."

"Good for you."

"You may not believe me, but Ryder, I care about you. More than I think you realize." Reyes looked over and met Ryder's eyes. Her face was neutral, but her eyes conveyed that his words were hitting home. With that slight encouragement, Reyes scooted closer to Ryder, hesitantly placing his hand over hers on her knee.

* * *

 _ **Ryder**_

"I love you, Lila," Reyes spoke softly. Ryder felt a pull in her gut, her nerves going haywire. Reyes loved her. With all the shitty things he'd done to her, kept from her, he had actually loved her. Ryder's eyes began tearing up and she closed them, tilting her head downward. She was so scared to give in to Reyes, scared that he'd hurt her again. And for the first time since they'd met, he'd used her first name. No one called her Lila, except her family. She felt Reyes' hand gently tilt her chin up so he could see her face. She opened her eyes, tears threatening to spill over. "Say something."

"I don't know what to say," she replied.

"Do you love me?" Reyes asked, his voice timid. It was the only time Reyes had not sounded 100% confident. Ryder sighed before responding.

"Yes," she whispered. Reyes began leaning in to kiss her. "But I don't trust you," she whispered just before his lips met hers. He paused before sitting back and running his hands through his hair. The look on his face said it all, he had been a wreck since she'd left. That didn't change the fact that she didn't trust him.

"Ryder... I..." Reyes stuttered, unsure of what to say. He suddenly scooted close to her again, gently cupping her face in both his hands. "I'll do any and everything you want. Just tell me what I need to do."

"It's not that simple," she pleaded, eyes still watery. "You lied to me, there's no easy fix."

"Just give me a chance Lila. Let me attempt to fix it."

Ryder looked into his eyes, trying to see if he really meant the things he was saying, or if he were simply saying what she wanted to hear. Every indication in his body language made her think that he was sincere. After a moment, Ryder simply nodded, causing Reyes the brightest she had seen. He rested his forehead against hers and sighed in relief.

"To start, let me make up for our horrible first date." He pulled back and lifted his omni-tool, typing something into it.

"You're up to something. Again," she replied. Then she heard slow music playing through his omni-tool.

"I neglected you on our first date. How about we fix that," Reyes stood and extended his hand to her, offering a dance. Ryder glanced from his hand to his eyes, seeing only love in them.

"I didn't know you had a romantic streak." He pulled her to her feet and tucked her close to his body, one hand on the small of her back. They rocked gently to the music, their faces mere inches apart. He gently rubbed his nose against hers.

"Since leaving the Nexus, my survival has depended on secrets. I don't want anymore of those between us, Lila." His voice was soft and Ryder felt that familiar pull in her gut. The same one she felt when he'd kissed her over the Kadara market.

"You're the encrypted one," she teased. Reyes chuckled in response. After a moment of silence, he laughed again. "What?"

"I was about to say something cheesy."

"Say it," she asked. Reyes smirked before replying.

"Consider me hacked," he said, trying not to laugh again. Ryder giggled, amused at how bad that line was.

"Just stop talking," she teased before pulling her hand from his and wrapping both arms around his neck. Reyes responded by pressing his lips to hers. His lips were soft and warm against Ryder's, causing warmth to pool in her belly. Ryder parted her lips slightly and Reyes took this as an invitation, his tongue slipping past her lips to gently massage hers. She sighed into the kiss, letting Reyes slip his hands around her waist, pulling her closer. After a minute, Ryder pulled back slowly.

"I can't stay," she informed him. Reyes sighed deeply, his eyes meeting hers.

"If you have time tonight, I'd love to see you again."

"I'm sure Addison will keep me busy with the new outpost. I need to set that up."

"You better say bye before you leave Kadara this time." His tone was a mix of sadness and seriousness.

"We'll see," she smirked and he rolled his eyes, laughing softly.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Ryder**_

Ryder stumbled from Kralla's song, having just finished drinking with her crew. Drack had called everyone there to simply get rowdy. Ryder had dumbly attempted to keep up with Drack at first, but soon realized she had hit her limit. Now she was making a poor choice: looking for Reyes. She opened her omni-tool and typed out a message.

 _whre r u? i ned u_

She stumbled through the market in Kadara Port, headed for the new Collective HQ (formerly Outcast HQ). Maybe Keema would know where he was. The guards let Ryder in, one of them smirking. Ryder didn't care that it was obvious she was drunk. She deserved a chance to relax, for once.

"Ryder, are you alright?" Keema asked, surprise coloring her usually casual tone as she stood and rushed up to Ryder, who had tripped shortly after coming into the throne room.

"I'm fiiiiine." Ryder waved Keema off. "Where's you know who?" Ryder's tone insinuated her intent.

"You're drunk," Keema stated, amusement coloring her tone. Ryder never let the general population see her in this state. She had an image to uphold. Apparently she didn't care tonight.

"Yeah, and you're green," Ryder stated smugly. Keema rolled her eyes, smiling.

"He's not here."

"Well I can _see_ that." Ryder replied, gesturing towards the rest of the room. Just then her omni-tool blinked.

 _Where are you?_

"About damn time," she said to no one in particular and began to stumble towards the exit, attempting to reply to Reyes.

"Ryder," Keema said, using her commanding tone.

"What mom?" Ryder complained when Keema grabbed her arm and dragged her to a chair.

"Stay here until I get him here." Keema sternly ordered and Ryder groaned, rolling her eyes, but complying with the demand. Keema walked off and motioned for one of her guards to keep an eye on Ryder. Keema pulled up her version of the omni-tool and clearly called someone. Ryder was sure that it had to be Reyes. "Your girlfriend is with me. She's drunk," Keema's tone still displayed her amusement.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Ryder called out. While this was true, it wasn't that she didn't want to be. Those trust issues still lingered. Keema ignored her and said a few more words before ending her call. Ryder pulled her omni-tool back up and attempted to type a response to Reyes again.

 _Keemss sidm i was ur girfirend butt im not yu know? yu lieed to me_

Roughly 10 minutes later Reyes walked into the throne room. His eyes immediately met Ryder's. "Thanks, Keema," he said casually and Keema nodded.

"Any time, dear," Keema responded. Something about Keema calling Reyes 'dear' bothered her. In her drunken state, she made another poor decision.

"Back off, lady," Ryder said in Keema's direction as Reyes pulled her up from the chair, gently putting an arm around her waist and guiding her to the door.

"Ryder, are you jealous?" Reyes whispered the question to Ryder softly, his lips nearly grazing her ear. She shivered before nodding her response. He chuckled as he continued to lead her out. "You really are drunk."

"And you smell good," she replied, leaning into him and inhaling. She struggled to focus on where Reyes was taking her. Her head was beginning to spin and she was feeling nauseous. Within what seemed like hours, Ryder realized that Reyes had brought her back to his place, the same one she stayed over at. When her eyes fell onto the bed, she remembered the way he had pressed her down on it all the months ago. She wanted him to do that right now. Without a word, Ryder wrapped her arms around Reyes' neck and began kissing him. At first Reyes didn't respond, clearly surprised by the sudden attack.

"Ryder," Reyes attempted to say, pulling back from the kiss. "You're drunk."

"So what?" Ryder replied, continuing to kiss Reyes. She began pulling at his clothing, trying to undo buttons and zippers.

"Whoa, whoa," Reyes captured Ryder's hands in his, stopping her in her tracks. "Slow down, Lila."

"Why? I want you, you want me, what's the big deal?" She attempted to lean back in to kiss him. Reyes leaned his head back.

"Lila, as much as I want you, I don't want to do this while you're drunk as shit." This statement pissed Ryder off.

"Seriously?" She yanked her hands from his. "Again? You're turning me down a second time?" The sting of rejection pierced her heart.

"Lila," Reyes attempted to step closer, but Ryder held up her hand to stop him.

"No!" Lila was furious and hurt. "I've basically thrown myself at you 2 times and you've rejected me both times. God, why am I even here?" Ryder turned to leave Reyes' apartment. He ran over and stood in front of the door, blocking her exit.

"Lila, you're drunk." He informed her as gently as he could. "You are still very much angry with me about lying. I wouldn't be able to handle it if I gave in and you woke up tomorrow regretting everything." Ryder looked into Reyes' eyes and could see that he meant it. Suddenly, Ryder's stomach began to turn. She could see a range of emotions reflect on his face. From confusion to sudden understanding as Ryder attempted to stop the vomit from coming up. Reyes grabbed Ryder and hurried her into the bathroom, where she began to violently throw up into the toilet. She felt his strong hands pull her hair out of her face while she emptied her stomach over and over again.

After a few minutes, Ryder's stomach calmed and she slumped back into Reyes' chest. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly. She vaguely felt him press a kiss into her hair before she slipped into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Reyes**_

Ryder had fallen asleep in his arms after throwing up for nearly 10 minutes. She was so incredibly drunk. He'd never seen her like that and he knew it was his fault. He'd made her like that. The message she'd sent and her yelling that she wasn't his girlfriend had told him what he needed to know, he hadn't earned back Ryder's trust. Reyes gently stroked Ryders long, dark blonde hair as he continued to hold her close, her head resting on his shoulder and her leg hitched over one of his. _She is so beautiful._ Reyes let himself memorize every inch of her face. God only knew if she would be angry with him about last night or embarrassed. Either one most likely meant that she would leave the second she woke up. Absently, he tenderly kissed her forehead while he thought about all the ways he could try to make her stay. Tell her about some of his safety concerns for the outpost? Supply shipment issues? Suddenly, Ryder began to stir and stretch. Her eyes flickered open after a moment and sought out his.

"Morning," her voice was soft and filled with sleepiness. After a moment, her cheeks flushed. "Sorry about last night."

"Lila," Reyes said with a soft laugh. "There's nothing to apologize for."

"I was kind of a bitch to you for being a gentleman."

"Well, there was that," he teased and Ryder gave him a gentle shove. "Where was my invite to the party last night?"

"Tempest crew only. You weren't invited."

"Who do I have to sleep with to get invited to parties, shit," he continued joking, wanting to keep Ryder's good mood going. She giggled at his statement.

"Me," she replied, smirking at him almost as if it were a challenge. _This woman is gonna be the death of me._ Reyes laughed in response and pulled her into a gentle hug, kissing her forehead. Ryder tilted her head up and kissed him softly on the lips. Cupping her cheek, Reyes deepened the kiss, massaging her tongue with his. His omni-tool pinged and he pulled away slowly bringing his arm up to see. It was one of his agents. Ryder began to pull away, clearly wanting to give him privacy.

"Where are you going?" Reyes pulled her back to his side. "No secrets, remember?" Ryder's eyes widened with surprise at his statement. He wanted her to fully trust him. To earn that trust, he needed to let her see everything, know that he wasn't using her. He opened his message and read through it. Just field reports from his representatives, but still important. His troops were clearing out some stragglers from the Outcasts to make the area safe for the outpost. He knew it would take awhile. He glanced down at Ryder, who was reading the message along with him.

"What else is going on?" Ryder asked hesitantly, seemingly probing his willingness to be an open book.

"Take a look for yourself," he offered his arm to her, letting her scroll through his messages and read each one. Some of his dealings were shadier than others, but Ryder already knew about that side of his life. After a few minutes Ryder closed his messages and rolled on top of him, straddling his hips.

"Thank you," she whispered before kissing him softly. He felt himself growing hard with the press of her core on his groin.

"For what?" He asked, his breath a little rough.

"For last night, for letting me read your messages," she kissed him softly again. Reyes couldn't handle their proximity and her current position any longer. He wove his hands into her hair and kissed her passionately, desperately wanting as much as she would give him. Ryder kissed back with the same intensity, their lips fitting together perfectly as their tongues massaged one another. Reyes shifted their weight, rolling Ryder underneath him and resting his hips between her legs. She pulled her legs up, hooking her heels around the back of his thighs and he groaned at the increased pressure on his cock. Reyes began to push Ryder's shirt up when her omni-tool pinged.

"UGH!" She groaned and Reyes laughed lightly.

"Of course," Reyes commented and rolled off of her, letting her answer. She opened her omni-tool to a vid call.

"Ryder! Where are you?!"

* * *

 _ **Ryder**_

Ryder hadn't thought to message her crew when she woke up. They all knew that she left the bar last night, but she was expected to return to the Tempest.

"Sorry Vetra, I ran into a friend," Ryder smirked with a glance over to Reyes, who was out of Vetra's line of sight. Reyes had turned and was lounging on his side, leaning up on his arm.

"Ahhh..." Vetra replied in a knowing tone. "Finally got you some, huh?"

"Okay, okay, what do you want?" Ryder scolded. Vetra laughed before replying.

"We need to get those monoliths activated to make it safe for the outpost. How soon can we expect you?" Ryder frowned momentarily, glancing over to Reyes. He just nodded at her.

"Give me 30 minutes," she informed the Turian before they ended their call. Ryder rolled to her side to face Reyes. She could see a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, Lila." Reyes gently cupped her cheek. "We both have jobs to do." He sighed before leaning in to give her a sweet kiss. "Go save Kadara."

It took all of Ryder's strength to not stay in bed with a shirtless Reyes all day. Just when both of them were ready to take that next step, they were interrupted. But Ryder couldn't be selfish. She had a job - make Heleus habitable. _There will be time for romance later._ She told herself this, but she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince.

Ryder was in the airlock of the tempest locking her armor into place. Peebee came to the doorway and leaned against it with her arms crossed, a mischievous smile forming.

"So, Ryder... I hear that you got to see if the Charlatan was for real or not." Peebee wagged her eyebrows at Ryder. _I should I expected Vetra to open her big mouth._

"Nope." Ryder didn't elaborate.

"But, you stayed at his place, did you not?"

"Yes, but I was fucking drunk, remember?" Ryder looked over to Peebee as she clipped the last piece of armor into place.

"That's one of the best times to have sex," Peebee looked confused.

"Well, being the gentleman he is, he declined." Ryder knew that most of her crew didn't approve of her relationship with Reyes, especially after they all found out he'd been lying to Ryder the whole time. Who loves someone but keeps the biggest secret they have from them?

"Well he's lame," Peebee scoffed jokingly. "I honestly didn't expect that from him."

"I did," Ryder said with a smile, equipping her Avenger with a new magazine.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Peebee's eyes were wide with shock at her realization.

"Is it that obvious?" Ryder asked, still smiling. Peebee smirked and shook her head before turning around and nearly smacking into Liam.

"Are you for real?" Liam asked, sounding like a mix between angry and jealous. Even though Liam had been an amazing friend after she found out about Reyes, some of the previous tension had returned since they had been on Kadara this past week. She wasn't sure if he still had feelings for her, or if he was just being protective of the _Pathfinder_. Liam had continuously put her on a pedestal since she became Pathfinder, and it honestly ruined what could have been between them.

"Why does it matter to you, Liam?" Ryder asked, putting him on the spot. Liam was about to open his mouth to say something when Jaal strode in, battle ready.

"Doesn't," was all the response that Ryder got before Liam grabbed his gun from the locker and they made their way towards to slums. They had monoliths to activate and a vault to explore.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Ryder**_

Today had been a long day. After 3 days of work, they had finally activated the vault on Kadara and the water was already becoming less toxic. If all went well, the water would soon be safe to swim in, and maybe even drink. Ryder sat in the nomad and drove back to Kadara Port in silence as she listened to Liam and Jaal shit talk. Liam was giving Jaal a hard time about figurative speech and Jaal was having none of it. Honestly, it was humorous to listen to the two. They were definitely bros. When Jaal said 'fuck over', Ryder laughed out loud. It felt good to have another major milestone completed and 80% viability achieved on the planet. The only thing left to do was get the outpost going. _I wish Reyes could be there when they arrive_ Ryder caught herself thinking. She wanted him to share in this major milestone with her.

It wasn't until late that night that everyone for the new outpost had arrived and were setting up the first set of buildings. Ryder was exhausted and all she wanted was to see Reyes again. She could tell that she was starting to forgive him. Him letting her read all his Collective emails and see what kind of business he was conducting was a huge step in the right direction to gain her trust.

Ryder sat on the roof of the nomad and sent Reyes a message.

 _Feel up to company? If you're not busy._

She closed her omni-tool and looked up at the outpost, watching Liam and the others helping set up. She was so tired of everything resting on her shoulders. Sure, her squad-mates were there to assist, but if they failed, it was on her. A ping of her omni-tool pulled her from her thoughts.

 _I always have time for you ;)_

Ryder couldn't help but smile at his use of an emoticon. She felt that pull in her gut, the one she always felt when she thought of Reyes, the same one she felt when he told her he loved her. He had only said it the one time and she never actually said it back. She bit her lip, thinking over that moment. She had been so hesitant to even be in the same room as Reyes at that point. So much has changed in the couple weeks since that day. Ryder hopped off the nomad and jogged up to Cora.

"Hey, I'm going to Kadara Port, I'll see you all back on the Tempest in the morning," she explained and Cora smirked.

"Have fun," she instructed without any inquisition. Cora clearly knew that Ryder was off to see Reyes. "Let your 2nd take over for now. Go relax."

"Thanks, Cora," Ryder smiled before walking towards the nomad. She sent off a reply to Reyes before hopping in.

Ryder had changed into her hoodie and pants before heading to Reyes' place. She lightly knocked on the door and he answered immediately.

"Good evening, Pathfinder," he teased and Ryder rolled her eyes before entering his apartment. Reyes chuckled and shut the door, locking all 3 locks. Turning, he planted a soft kiss on Ryder's lips. "Long day?"

"Long day," she answered and rested her head on his chest, loosely wrapping her arms around his waist. Reyes responded by pulling Ryder close and kissing the top of her head.

"I have some whiskey," he commented.

"I would love some," she murmured into his chest. They made their way to his bedroom and sat on his bed, drinking and talking.

"Do you remember how you refused to share a drink with me when we first met?" Reyes asked, amusement coloring his eyes.

"I was in a port filled with exiles. How was I to know that you weren't poisoning me?" Ryder laughed back.

"Fair enough," he shook his head, taking a swig of whiskey. "I remember it taking me about 5 minutes to figure out how to approach you." Reyes held out the bottle for Ryder.

"What do you mean?" Ryder asked, taking the bottle from Reyes and taking a drink.

"You were so beautiful, I wanted to impress you. Clearly I failed," he laughed. Ryder joined him.

"I remember being pissed that this hot guy with a sexy accent was trying to poison me," she teased and he laughed with her.

"I would never do that to the _Pathfinder_ ," Reyes teased and Ryder rolled her eyes in response.

"Sometimes I wish I wasn't the Pathfinder."

"Why?" Reyes' tone changed from light to more serious.

"Well, for starters everywhere I go, everyone already knows who I am." Ryder played with the cuff of her sleeve. "Even my crew treats me differently. Take Liam, for instance," Ryder started and she saw a small flash of jealousy in Reyes' eyes. "What?"

"Nothing," he sighed then changed his response. "Well, it just seems like there is something there. Between you and Liam." Reyes never really talked to Liam, but he could clearly tell something had happened.

"There was, one night when we first got to Andromeda." Ryder was honest. Reyes seemed a little stiff, so she continued to explain. "Things were really tense and it just sort of happened. After that night, Liam put me on a pedestal. I was the "Pathfinder", not Ryder, the person. I couldn't handle it and I broke things off." Ryder shrugged and took another drink before passing the bottle back to Reyes.

"That explains all the nasty looks he gives me," Reyes laughed lightly under his breath before taking a drink. "He really doesn't like me, does he?"

"Nope." Ryder didn't hesitate to answer at lightening speed. "He's also a little too much of a goody two-shoes for me. I prefer my men a little more on the dangerous side," she flirted. Reyes set the bottle down on the bedside table and grabbed Ryder's legs, playfully yanking her toward him, causing her to fall onto her back. Ryder squealed in surprise

"How dangerous," Reyes asked, his tone huskier than the few moments before. He knelt over her, his hips resting between her thighs. _Oh, he is good_ Ryder thought to herself before answering.

"Dangerous enough to be exciting," she spoke, half flirting and half honest.

"That can be arranged," he whispered before kissing her. He parted his lips and let his tongue enter her mouth, deepening the kiss. Ryder felt the intensity of the kiss all the way down between her legs, where her desire for Reyes was building. His hands began to slide up her sides and she sighed into the kiss, reveling in the feel of his strong hands on her body. Reyes brought one hand up and cradled her neck, tilting her head to the side so that he could trail his soft lips along her jawline and down the side of her neck. He let out a ragged sigh as he pressed him growing erection into her core. Arching her chest up into him at the feel of him between her legs, Ryder tilted her head and sought out his lips. Reyes ran his hand from her neck to her breast, giving it a gentle squeeze before running his thumb over her clothed, but hardening nipple. Ryder wanted Reyes _bad_. It had been months since she'd been touched by a man like this, and never had she felt so alive from someone's touch. Even that wink that Reyes so casually gave Ryder made her weak.

Ryder began to pull Reyes' shirt up and their lips parted long enough to pull it over his head. Reyes reached for the hem of her shirt, skirting his hands underneath the fabric. He pushed her bra up and cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples with his thumbs. Ryder moaned softly before kissing him harder. Reyes wasted no time unclasping her bra and pulling her top off, tossing it to the floor with his. He pulled back from the kiss and sat up on his knees, taking in the view of Ryder topless in his bed. Ryder bit her lip, feeling her desire spiral out of control under Reyes' intense gaze. When his eyes met hers, they had darkened with desire. Slowly, Reyes began to unbutton Ryder's pants and slide them down her legs. He tossed the pants to the floor turned his gaze back to her body. She was practically trembling with anticipation. Slowly, Reyes reached out and gently rubbed his thumb over her clitoris, causing Ryder to grip the sheets as she moaned.

"God, you're so beautiful," he whispered softly as he gently rubbed her sensitive spot again. Ryder let her head fall back, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of his thumb rubbing gentle circles where she wanted it the most. After a moment, she couldn't take it anymore, she _needed_ him inside her. Ryder reached up and began to undo his pants. When he hand gently brushed against him, he shuddered a moan and his head dropped back slightly. Ryder smiled inwardly at the realization that Reyes was just as worked up as she was.

She reached her hand into his pants and palmed him, eliciting another strained moan. After a moment, Reyes pulled Ryder's underwear down and tossed them to the side before removing his pants. When he returned to kneeling between her legs, Ryder took in the sight of Reyes naked before her. He has a light trail of hair leading down from his faint 6-pack abs to his dick. He was thick and long, the head of his penis was a red-ish purple tint and slightly larger than the shaft. Ryder couldn't help but lick her lips at the sight of him. When her eyes met his, she could see a hint of pride in his eyes. He had clearly seen her admiring his body. Ryder's breathing sped up and her heart hammered in her chest when Reyes laid on top of her, his his resting between her legs. She could feel the tip at her opening and she nearly cried out. In an attempt to hurry him up, she wrapped her legs around his waist and attempted to push him closer.

"What's the rush?" Reyes chuckled in her ear, rubbing his tip against her folds. Ryder shuddered and mewled.

"Don't be a tease," she complained. And with that, Reyes pushed himself into her, filling her to the core. She arched her back and moaned in response. Reyes was panting heavily in her ear as he began a slow and steady rhythm, rolling his hips over and over.

"My god, Lila," Reyes moaned in her ear, gripping her ass with one hand and pressing her closer to him. Ryder sought out his lips, giving him a demanding kiss. With that, Reyes began moving faster, harder. Ryder knew she was close, so so close. Reyes used his free hand to tease her breasts, rubbing his thumb over the nipple before lowering his head. Reyes circled one nipple with his tongue before suckling it into his mouth. Ryder moaned loudly, her hands delving into his hair and tugging gently. Feeling encouraged, Reyes kissed his way to the other nipple and continued the assault. Ryder arched her pelvis up to give Reyes a better angle for going deeper. Within a few moments, Ryder came, moaning her release. She could feel her walls squeezing Reyes over and over as her orgasm rocked through her body. It was apparently too much for Reyes and he buried his head in the crook of Ryder's neck and came, filling Ryder over and over with each roll of his hips.

They lay there in silence as the both panted heavily, attempting to catch their breath. Reyes lifted his head just enough to give Ryder a lazy kiss before resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you," he whispered, his golden eyes displaying the intensity of his love.

"I love you, too," she answered before leaning up to give him another kiss.


End file.
